Loretta Lois Bickerstaff

Loretta Lois Bickerstaff, lovingly known as “Retta” by her family, was a long-time resident of New Orleans and former CEO of Vinson Guard Service, Inc. She passed away on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, in San Antonio, TX, at the age of 86. Loretta was the cherished daughter of the late Opal and Joseph Bickerstaff; sister to Richard and Gerald Bickerstaff; and aunt to Greg and Dawn Bickerstaff, Kristen Hausknecht, and Bronwynn Abaunza. She was also a great-aunt to many whom she adored.

A kind and considerate Christian woman with a gentle disposition and contagious smile, Loretta devoted her life to her faith, family, and career. Her Bickerstaff and Anderson ancestors were pioneer settlers of the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma and the farmlands of North Texas. In the early 1930s, her parents traveled through West Texas with a newly invented portable drilling rig mounted onto a Ford truck, creating a mobile rig that could be quickly relocated from one drilling site to another. This innovation was a game-changer for the industry, offering unprecedented flexibility and efficiency.

Loretta was born on one such stop in the small town of Brownfield, Texas in 1937. After a decade on the road, Loretta and her parents, along with her two brothers, settled in Texarkana, Texas. While in Texarkana, Joe Bickerstaff, also known as “Daddy Joe”, was recruited by Eustis Engineering Company and relocated to their corporate office in New Orleans in 1947. Hence, the Bickerstaff family settled in New Orleans for many decades to come.

Loretta graduated from Ridgewood Preparatory School in 1955 and was President of the Student Body and Recipient of the American Legion Award. She furthered her studies by receiving accounting and business administration education, attending three years at Tulane University and three years at Loyola University.

Loretta began her lifetime career in the private security industry just after graduation, starting as a secretary in 1957 under the employ of J.D. Vinson, Sr. In 1963, after Joseph Vinson, Sr. sold his interest in Pendleton/National Guard Investigative Firm, she joined Vinson Guard Service, Inc. Loretta played a pivotal role in the growth of Vinson Guard Service, Inc., owning a percentage of the company stock. Over the years, she was elected to the Board and held various executive titles, contributing significantly to the company's expansion. In February 1995, J.D. Vinson, Sr. announced the election of Loretta L. Bickerstaff to Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of the Board of Vinson Guard Service, Inc. By October 1997, Vinson had staffed branch offices and operated throughout the Southeastern U.S. in Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas.

On April 6, 1992, Loretta was appointed by Governor Edwin Edwards to the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners. She was re-appointed on October 29, 1996, by Governor Mike J. Foster to the same Board, serving until her retirement.

Loretta’s other accomplishments:

Member of the Louisiana State Private Investigators; Council of International Investigators, May 1992, appointed to the Nominating Committee of the National Association of Security and Investigator Regulators (NASIR), November 1997 elected by its Board as Administrative Assistant and also elected Board Secretary, Historian - World Association of Detectives, Inc., American Society of Industrial Security, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Women Business Owners Association, Jefferson Parish Business and Professional Women's Association and Order of the Eastern Stars - Lifetime Member (Female order of the Masons)

October 1997 Loretta Lois Bickerstaff retired and spent the remainder of her life at her homes in Metairie, LA, Fort Morgan, AL and San Antonio, TX where she passed away peacefully in her sleep.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Service in her honor on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 2:00 at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, Public viewing will begin at 12:00 noon, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70119. Burial will follow at Lake Lawn Cemetery.

The Bickerstaff Family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks for all the kind words, prayers, and support given over the past few weeks. We give special thanks to the wonderful, kind, and caring staff at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home & Cemeteries. We also want to express our deepest gratitude to the Hospice care team at Trinity Hospice in San Antonio for always being available to help when we needed to be elsewhere. Also, their genuine care for Loretta's wellbeing and their always-present smiles provided us with comfort and peace during this difficult time.

Loretta will truly be missed every day by her loved ones and everyone whose lives she touched over the years. We love you, Retta, with all our hearts. May God bless your wonderful soul.